Can someone make a feature on the DVX in this age of HD?

[Macphilia]

Right. Turn on any modern movie or TV series, you will see licked-out colors, shadows and highlights, "filmy" blurred background, subtle (or not-so-subtle) camera tracking, etc. But what is the point if the plot sucks? Every time I see slow tracking from one side to another WITHOUT revealing a piece of info I haven't seen before I keep asking myself: why are they doing this? For "production value", or because moving image keeps me watching this fluff? Ok, fine, I will watch it for 5 more seconds to realize that I've been cheated, that this particular move has not been justified, then I will switch my TV off.

When I am interested in the subject, when the pacing is good and the story is gripping, I really don't care about frame size or resolution or fancy camera moves or blown out highlights.

Preach it, brother! LOL I'm so tired of gratuitous dolly shots. There are aspiring filmmakers all over the place right now scrambling, begging, building, going into debt, doing whatever it takes to have a dolly shot in their low-budget movie. Why? To emulate what the "pros" are doing. Because it's going to "look" like a movie.

Let's move on from this nonsense. Film as art is primarily one thing: personal expression. And that expression is actualized by vision and execution. If you envision your film being shot on a DVX or your grandma's VHS camcorder, then DO IT!!!!

We got things totally backwards these days. Films are being made as commodities, something to be sold. And with that mentality, the image comes first and the content, the soul, the expression, comes last, or not at all. Films end up like incredibly packaged and marketed products that end up at next year's garage sale.

I firmly believe people are dying, craving, thirsting for truth, passion, expression, authenticity and that's what we need to strive for. So the question of technique or equipment must come last. After pouring our guts on the page/notebook, whatever, and developing a concept and vision, then we ask: What do I need to effectively actualize my vision? If it's a VHS camcorder from the 80s, then by all means - USE IT! I would LOVE for more than anything to watch that movie versus another multi-million dollar product with no soul....

And guess what, if your 80s VHS movie kicks butt, I bet you anything there will be a bunch of aspiring filmmakers scouring Ebay for VHS camcorders and bidding the hell out of each other!

Peace!
Christopher

 

[Sad Max]

We got things totally backwards these days. Films are being made as commodities, something to be sold.

This is not backwards if your objective is to make $$$ on the work.

If you are a hobbyist, or are independently wealthy, or for whatever reason don't consider finances then you are free to create whatever expresses what you wish to express, without taking commerce into account.

On the other hand, some proportion of us have bills to pay and professional careers, to build.

That said, I agree that way too many commercial films and programs are intellect-stunting, emotionally sterile, socially irresponsible exercises in the fast movement of brightly-colored objects, and not much more besides. Which is unfortunate and something I certainly hope (against all available evidence) will change.

 

[roxics]

While I agree with everyone here about matching your vision to the camera and about making sure your script doesn't suck. I think shooting a movie on a DVX simply because the camera itself is nostalgic to you is not a good reason to use it either. Because once again you're focusing on equipment over content. But if the look of the camera matches your vision, by all means.